Lt. Governor Duncan’s “Fostering Success Act” Receives Unanimous Senate Approval
Today the Georgia Senate gave unanimous approval to Senate Bill (SB) 370, also known as the “Fostering Success Act.” As part of Lt. Governor Duncan’s priority to enhance Georgia’s foster care system, the “Fostering Success Act” creates a dollar-for-dollar state income tax credit that generates funds for youth who have recently aged out of the foster system.
With an initial annual cap of $20 million, donations received through the program will go directly to services that provide guidance and support for un-adopted youth transitioning into adulthood. Proceeds can be used to cover costs associated with postsecondary education, medical and mental health care needs, housing, transportation and can be used to assist non-profit organizations that support this sector of Georgia’s population.
“Just as Georgia is recognized as the number one state for business, making Georgia the number one state for foster kids should be at the top of every state leader’s agenda,” said Lt. Governor Duncan. “We have made great strides toward fixing Georgia’s foster care system, but we must secure the appropriate resources for aged-out foster youth in order to ease the transition into adulthood. I commend members of the Senate for prioritizing the hundreds of youth who exit foster care in Georgia each year, and I look forward to the full passage of SB 370.”
Sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens), SB 370 will now move to the House for further consideration.
“It is critical to recognize that while our commitment to children in foster care begins when they enter state custody, we cannot always mark the legal age of adulthood as a cut-off date for providing care,” said Sen. Cowsert. “I am proud to work with the Lt. Governor and my Senate colleagues to ensure this part of Georgia’s population is not overlooked by incentivizing community involvement and creating a path for these young adults to reach their highest potential.”
To view the full text of SB 370, please visit the following link: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/61
Article courtesy of Metro Atlanta CEO, published February 9, 2022.